BALI WATERFALLS DAY TRIP

There’s no doubt Indonesia is rippled with fabulously impressive waterfalls. But if you’re looking for adventure travel, Bali takes the cake. Nestled deep in the Northern part of the island, amidst a long, windy road roughly 3 hours from the airport, are a series of cascades that will have you sliding, diving and cliff-jumping all day long.

It can be overwhelming choosing what to do and in which order – but don’t worry, I consider myself somewhat of a waterfall expert, and I’ve narrowed it down for you.

The waterfall activities take place along the same watercourse, where one waterfall fuels the next, and the next, and the next. While the touristy way to begin this day trip is by heading to Aling-Aling waterfall, I can one-up that.

But first, some tips before you go:

Bring cash to pay the local guides. The day cost me 150,000 Rupiah per adult for a local guide (this also includes a life jacket).

Wear good water shoes that are good for hiking and swimming (or bring two pairs if you must). Honestly, I bought some slip-on runners from K-mart that were light yet sturdy and it was the best decision I made. They dried quickly and meant I didn’t hurt my feet while swimming in rocky areas.

Bring bike shorts or something to prevent chaffing. You’ll be doing a lot of swimming with hiking in between, and there’s nothing worse than getting that uncomfortable red, raw chaffing with nothing to help soothe it.

Alrighty, with the housekeeping out of the way, let’s begin.

1. The Secret Garden of Sambangan (AKA Blue Lagon Waterfall)

Listen in, because this one’s a well-kept Bali secret I’m about to blow wide open. This beautiful little pool is located above Aling-Aling Waterfall and can only be accessed from the non-tourist side of the falls. This means deviating through skinny, bumpy could-you-even-call-them-that streets in the back-end of a Bali village. Ask a local driver to take you to the Secret Garden of Sambangan, however not all of them will know what you mean, but finding it is all part of the adventure.

Once at the falls, you’ll see Aling-Aling Waterfall up close, and the local guides will take you up to the Blue Lagon ledge for swimming and jumping in the pools behind it. Super fun and secluded!

2. Aling-Aling Waterfall

Okay, so this one you don’t jump off. In fact, it’s sometimes super dangerous to even swim in. But it’s pretty epic either way and very close-by. No harm in stopping to take a peek, is there?

Pro Tip: To get to this waterfall from Secret Garden the locals will take you down the hillside through a make-shift track, which requires a river crossing. Once across, you’ll follow a man-made path designed for the tourists. Difficulty level: medium.

3. Kroya Waterfall

Ah, the waterfall slide! Kroya waterfall is a small 3 meter (or so) drop which has experienced such a continuous flow of water, the rock-face is silky smooth. That’s right, a natural water slide has been formed which will have you zipping down it, and plunging into the pool below. Don’t worry – the guides will help you, and your life jacket does its job. Just don’t forget to hold your nose!

4. Kroya Twin Waterfall

A short walk, across a suspension bridge and careful wading through water, gets you to Kroya Twin Waterfall, a 10meter drop that I hurled myself from. Yeah, it’s pretty exhilarating.

Pro Tip: Let your guide go first so he’s waiting in the pool below for you.

I’ll be honest, I’m not sure if I got the name of this waterfall correct (I’m hopeless at understanding foreign languages), but it’s a little further on from Kroya Twin Waterfall and not hard to find. Though once you do, I’m not sure you’ll be game for the 16meter jump. Yep, 16 meters and you’re submerging into the deep pool below. I wasn’t daring enough to do this one – but if you are, go for it! Don’t ask me how you get back up, though, because I have no clue. And don’t forget to leave yourself some energy for the trek back uphill (all waterfalls in Bali have you descending down millions of stairs for some unknown reason).

And there you have it! A fun-filled day of waterfall adventures in Bali.